UK: Government report reveals weak controls on arms exports to Middle East and North Africa

Posted on Vie, 2011-04-01 17:32

Amnesty International says a new report from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office reveals that UK policies have facilitated arms sales to Libya and other countries that were inconsistent with the UK government's stated aims of protecting civilians against human rights abuses. Oliver Sprague of Amnesty International UK said, “The role that many arms suppliers have played in the current crisis in the Middle East and North Africa has yet again demonstrated the need for tougher international controls. As we have seen on the streets of various cities, this must include crowd control equipment and ammunition. Current events show that the need for active leadership on negotiations for the UN Arms Trade Treaty is more pressing than ever”.More